Given name & surname · also Persian, Arabic
Lilac
“resembling the bluish-purple flower”
Lilac is used as a given name and a surname. One Latin interpretation is “resembling the bluish-purple flower.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Latin interpretation is “resembling the bluish-purple flower.”
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with French, Arabic, and Persian naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1979. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Lilac through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 371
- 0 boys · 371 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 44 babies
- 2025
- 35
- #4,131 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +56%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 35 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 4,131 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 55.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (6). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 273 as a first name in 2020; 107 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Lilac’s family of names
Lilac has a related form in Lilach. Lilac has a related form in Lilack. Lilac has a related form in Lilak.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Appears in
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